从来不

• Pinyin: cóng lái bù
• Hanzi breakdown: 从 = from; 来 = come (together: since, always); 不 = not

Meaning

Never; have never. An emphatic phrase expressing that something has not happened at any point.

Stronger than just 不, it emphasizes consistency over time. Used for habits, character traits, or historical facts. The past-oriented 从来 combined with 不 creates emphatic negation.

Examples

1. 他从来不迟到，今天却破天荒地晚了半小时。 He never arrives late, yet today he was half an hour late for the first time ever.
2. 她从来不在背后说人坏话，为人非常正直。 She never speaks ill of others behind their backs — she's an extremely upright person.
3. 我从来不吃辣的，一吃就上火。 I never eat spicy food — whenever I do, I get overheated.

Usage Guide

Context: emphasis, habits, character

Tone: emphatic

Do Say

• 他从来不骗人。(He never lies.)
• 我从来不喝酒。(I never drink alcohol.)

Don't Say

• 他从来不经常迟到 (Contradictory — 从来不 means 'never,' which contradicts 经常)

Origin & History

Compound of 从来 (from the past until now, always) + 不 (not). Together creating emphatic negation of all time.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal